February 1, 2013 Faculty-Staff CU-Boulder Today

In this Issue

Employee Engagement Survey results provide feedback, guide programming

Going above and beyond is an everyday occurrence at the University of Colorado Boulder. We all have stories of colleagues who have worked late into the night, leant an ear to a student or coworker, or found the unique solution for a campus challenge. This willingness to stretch beyond the job description may be rooted in the sense of connection CU-Boulder employees feel to our institution’s academic and research mission.

Program helps students 'bounce back' from academic probation

Any number of reasons can cause a student at CU-Boulder to be put on academic probation. The Bounce Back program helps those students recover from academic difficulties and get back on track.

Can plants be altruistic? You bet, says new CU-Boulder-led study

We’ve all heard examples of animal altruism: Dogs caring for orphaned kittens, chimps sharing food or dolphins nudging injured mates to the surface. Now, a study led by the University of Colorado Boulder suggests some plants are altruistic too.

CU archives inform examination of state violence, repression in El Salvador

Michele Leiby, assistant professor of political science from the College of Wooster, Ohio will present “Bad Apples or Bad Leaders: Explaining State Repression and Sexual Violence in El Salvador” Thursday, Feb. 7. Leiby’s research is based on a comparison of data collected from two Salvadoran human rights organizations and housed in the University of Colorado Boulder Archives. She identified the timing and locations of various forms of state violence and compiled a demographic profile of the victims.

Sustainability pioneer Majora Carter to speak at CU Feb. 13

Once described as the “Green Power Broker” by The New York Times, Majora Carter will speak in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom on Wednesday, Feb. 13, as a guest of the student-run Cultural Events Board. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are free for students, faculty, staff and community members.

Community Notes

Grief Support Group for spring 2013- Faculty and Staff Assistance Program

Being bereaved can be an overwhelming experience, and is often confusing and frightening. However, while bereavement can be quite painful, it is not a sickness or an abnormal condition. It is not something to be “cured” or “fixed.” Rather, it is part of the natural human response to losing someone close to us. It has been said that bereavement is the cost of loving and being loved.

Website: http://hr.colorado.edu/fsap/groups/Pages/Grief.aspx

Campus Sustainability Awards nominations deadline March 1

The annual CU-Boulder Campus Sustainability Awards is now accepting nominations through March 1. CU wishes to recognize outstanding individuals and departments who demonstrate a sincere commitment to reducing the burden that CU-Boulder places on the environment. Outstanding efforts make CU’s successful and challenging approaches to attaining sustainability possible.

Contact: Environmental Center

Spring Study Abroad Fair

Study Abroad Programs aims to debunk common myths about study abroad at its Feb. 7 Spring Fair. The fair includes presentations that focus on using financial aid and picking a program that fits your budget, boosting career opportunities and more!

Come to the Spring Study Abroad Fair!
Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
UMC 235

Explore your many program choices any time from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and join us for special presentations that include:

Website: http://studyabroad.colorado.edu

Contact: Study Abroad Programs

4th Annual RISE Symposium: “The Future of Race and Education: Critical Theories and Critical Practices”

The RISE Symposium, “The Future of Race and Education: Critical Theories and Critical Practices,” will take place on Friday, Feb. 15, from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., at the Wittemeyer Courtroom in the Wolf School of Law Building. It will feature keynote speaker Django Paris (Michigan State), Samy Alim (Stanford), Victoria Hand (CU-Boulder), Susan Hopewell (CU-Boulder), Ben Kirshner (CU-Boulder), Edd Taylor (CU-Boulder) and others. Classroom application-oriented workshops will be offered by a group of CU-Boulder School of Education doctoral students.